Awesome Study Shows We Work More Now Than We Did 30 Years Ago And Get Paid Less

Maybe we should all go back to the 1970s. I suppose I could get used to bell-bottoms. My ankles could use more room after years of these skinny jeans. I bring this up because according to a recent report from the Center for American Progress, American families worked an average of 11 hours more per week between 2006 and 2008 than they did between 1977 and 1979. The traditional 40-hour work week is now considered a part-time schedule by many top level doctors, lawyers and other professionals.

Many people now work more than 50 hours per week. For professional women, the jump in work hours in the last 30 years is significant. Now 14.4% work over 50 hours, which is up from 6.1% in the late 70′s. Men in professional and managerial positions came in at 37.9% which was up from 34% in the late 1970′s.

So now, not only are we working more but we are also not getting compensated for these extra hours. According to The Huffington Post’s assessment of the study, “upper class wages have increased 7%over the same time period, which reflects the trend of longer hours resulting in disproportionately higher wages while wages for those working 40 hours a week have largely stayed the same.”

Pressure on women professionals has been especially prevalent in the last few years, according to the study.